It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school when they're unwell.

To avoid outbreaks of infectious illnesses please do not bring your child to school if they are unwell. If you do keep your child at home, it's important to phone the school on the first day to let us know that your child won't be in and give us the reason. If your child becomes unwell whilst they are here, we will contact you to arrange for them to be collected by someone listed on their contact form.

 

Vomiting and/or Diarrhoea 

Children who have had a bout of vomiting and/or diarrhoea will need to stay off school for 48hrs from the last episode. 

Colds and Coughs

It's fine to send your child to school with a minor cough or common cold. But if they have a fever, keep them off school until the fever goes.

Encourage your child to throw away any used tissues and to wash their hands regularly.

Chickenpox

If your child has chickenpox, keep them off school until all the spots have crusted over.

This is usually about 5 days after the spots first appeared.

Head lice and nits

There's no need to keep your child off school if they have head lice.

You can treat head lice and nits without seeing a GP.

Scarlet fever

If your child has scarlet fever, they'll need treatment with antibiotics from a GP. Otherwise they'll be infectious for 2 to 3 weeks.

Your child can go back to school 24 hours after starting antibiotics.

Slapped Cheek Syndrome

You don't need to keep your child off school for slapped cheek syndrome, once the rash appears, they're no longer infectious.

Sore Throat

You can still send your child to school if they have a sore throat. But if they also have a high temperature, they should stay at home until it goes away.

A sore throat and a high temperature can be symptoms of tonsillitis.

Pharmacy First 

This service enables patients to be referred to, or walk into, a community pharmacy for a minor illness or an urgent medicine supply. The new service was launched in January 2024 and enables community pharmacies to provide treatment for common medical conditions.

Pharmacists can offer advice on a range of illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, ear infections and aches and pains.

They can also give advice about medicines. This includes how to use your medicine, worries about side effects or any other questions you have.

If they cannot help you themselves, they can refer you to a GP or other health professional.

 

 

 

Healthier Together App and Website

The Healthier Together app is a great source of 
information for parents and carers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The app can be downloaded via the IOS and Google app stores and provides parents and carers with information to help keep their child safe and healthy, as well as helping them decide what to do when their child is 
unwell.